Domestic appliance



July l, 1930. R. L. LEE

l r l DOMESTIC APPLIANCE' #ned Aug. 5. 1923 fnl/527755:' .l HHLPH L Lss- E .WELL "z Hlrs :Ignaz-'zz' e f [IIIA Patented July l,- 1930 UNITED STATESA PATENT 'l 01u-"Icav RALPH Il. LEE, F DAYTON, OHO, ASSIGNOR TO DELCO-LIGHT COMPANYK OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPOIRA'JJION'4 0F DELAWARE :DoMEs'rIc APPLIANCE This invention relates to vacuum cleaners, and particularly to the type of apparatus for cleaning ioor surfaces.,

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide an attachment for 'a vacuum cleaner adapting it to clean restricted spaces-under furniture and the like,

the cleaner with the attachment being manipulated in the manner of using the cleaner alone.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of one embodiment ofthe inventionis clearly shown. Y'

, In the drawingsr Fig. 1 is a side view of a cleaning machine and an attachment embodying the present invention, and shows the attachment extendinvunder an article of furniture such as a `tale or desk;

Fig.' 2 is a top plan view artly in section andon an enlarged scale, o the cleaner and attachment shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the'locating stud for positioning the attachment with respect to the cleaner nozzle; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary underside view thereof looking in the direction of the arrow 4 in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, a cleaning machine 20, preferably of the suctlon type,

comprises a casing or frame portion 21 provided with pump and-suction chambers 22 and 23 respectively separated by a dividing wall 21 provided with an opening. Casing 21 is provided with an upwardly curved 50 v elongated openings in bracket 31 `and engagneck portion 24 leading from the pump' ing tapped holes in the wall 29, provide for adjustment of the roller 32 to raise or lower the rear vend of the casing 21I and thereby adjust .the nozzle 26 with respect to the floor or surface to be cleaned. A motor 34 is supported by the casing 21, and the armature shaft thereof passes through an opening in the to wall of the casing 21 and extends into t e pump chamber 22.v A suction fan 35 is located within the chamber 22 and is 'directly attached to the armature shaft of the motor 34. A yoke member 36, which is pivoted at 37 to opposite sides of the casin 21 is secured to a tubular handle 38 throng which conductor 39 passes and connects with a terminal of the motor 34. A switch 40 providedv adjacent the upper end of the handle 38, is connected with conductor 39 and with a suitable source of current by con: ductor-39a. A dust bag 41 is removably attached to the neck portion 24 in any suitable manner, and is provided with a loop 42 through which the hooked end of a spring 43 passes, the other end of said spring being secured to the handle 38, for supporting the dust bag.

The neck portion 25 is provided with acircular opening in alignment with the suction chamber 23, over whichis tted aremovable cover 45. This cover is held in place by a screw 46 which passes through a hole in the cover and engages a tapped hole in the portion 25, and also by a screw 47 engaging a tapped hole in the portion 25 and cooperating with a notch 48 in the cover' 45. This cover vmay be shifted to the position shown in Fig. 2 by loosening the screws'46 and 47 and swingingthe cover around, the screw 46 acting as a pivot. .A lug 49 is provided on the outer surface of the nozzle 26 to prevent the cover 45 dropping to the floor, and being dragged along when the cleaner is moved about. v y

The inner surface ofthe neck portion 25 is provided with a conical seat, as shown at 50, adjacent the suction chamber 23. A

draw air andthe dirt or vconical seat 50. This tube 51 merges into a nozzle 52. A locating lug 53 is provided on the inner surface of the portion 25 and cooperates with the notch 54 at the inner end of the tube 51. Thus, when the tube 51 is inserted within the portion .25, the nozzle 52 is automatically located in the same plane as that of the nozzle 26. To attach the tube 51 to the cleaner, it is but necessary to move the cover 45 to the position shownin Fig. 2, insert the tube into thereof will be automatically located paral-l lel to the nozzle 26 of the vacuum cleaner.

It will be apparent that when the nozzle 26 is adjusted with respect to the floor or surface to be cleaned, through means of the adjustable bracket 31, the nozzle 52 will likewise respond to this adjustment,l and be raised or lowered with respect to the floor.

When thetube 51 is inserted-Within the portion V25, communication between the suction chamber 23 andthe nozzle 26 is cut off, so that the suction of the'fan 35 will particles through the nozzle 52, through tube 51 and into the suction chamber'23, thence'into chamber 22, the action of fan 35 forcing the dirt particles up through .portion 24 into the dust bag 41.l Of course when the rigid attachment is not in use,

the circular opening in the portion -25 is closed by and the air and. dirt particles will be drawn up through nozzle 26, through chamber 23 into chamber 22, the 'dust particles being deposited in the bag 41.

Fig. l showsthe cleaning attachment applied to a cleaning lmachine andv extending under the table or desk 55, the bottom of which is relatively close to the floor, and indicates the manner in which the attachment described herein may be utilized in cleaning restricted surfaces under furniture and the like. Since the attachment nozzle 52 is rigidly supported by the vacuum` cleaner this nozzle can be manipulated by means of the handle 38 of the cleaner. The nozzle 52 is maintained in correct relation with the floor by means ofthe tripod support provided by the wheels l28 and 32 which also locate the nozzle 26. By virtue of the construction described, cleaning under furniture can be accomplished as easily as Acleaning open spaces with conventional types of'suction cleaners.

the cover 45,

`can be tilted about the axisl of wheels 28 to vary the distance between the nozzle 52 and the floor.

' While the nozzle 52 is herein shown as supported from the iioor and guided by the rigid extension tube 51, it should be expressly understood that the invention is not limited tothis -specilic 'construction but that the nozzleV 52 may be connected with the suction chamber by any other suitable means which will hold `the nozzle 52 in position againstlateralmovement, whereb it may be guided by the operating han le 38 as above described. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the nozzle 52 need not be supported by the rollers 28 and I 32 but may `be maintained in proper operative relation with respect to the floor by means of any other or additional supports. While the form of mechanism herein shown and described constitutes a preferred embodiment of one form of invention, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted and various changes and alterations made in the shape, size, and proportion of the elements therein without departing 4from the spirit and-scope of the invention.'

. What is claim is as follows:

1. Cleaning apparatus comprising,l in combination, a vacuum cleaner including a casing having an opening, a suctionchamber, and a nozzle connected with the .chamber; anda rigid attachment havin a portion insertable through said opening and into said chamber for rigidly connecting the attachment with the chamber, another portion of said attachment being provided with a nozzle which, when the attachment is so connected, will be held in proper relation with the surface to be cleaned, and which is movable with said cleaner over the said surface.

2. Cleaning apparatus comprising, in combination, a vacuum cleaner including a suction chamber and a nozzle connected therewith; and means attachable to the cleaner for closing `olf Vthe suction nozzle from the chamber, said means providmg av nozzle connected with the chamber and being rigidly supported vwith respect to the cleaner and in proper relation with the Surface to be cleaned for movement therewith over the said-surface.

3. Cleaning apparatus comprising, in

combination, a vacuum cleaner including a' suction chamber, a nozzle connectedtherewith and a duct located close to a floor level for connecting the nozzle andl chamber; and an attachment including a nozzle and ipe rigidly supported by the cleaner and a apted when attached to close the duct from the first named nozzle, the" attachment pipe being located close to the ioor level with the nozzles arranged in parallel relation with `the Hoor.

4. Cleaning apparatusl comprising, incombinatio'n, a vacuum cleaner provided with a suction chamber and supports resting on a door surface, a suction nozzle, a duct connecting the nozzle and chamber and eX- tending substantially parallel to and in close proximity to the floor, and provided with an inner conical seat and an opening; an elongated rigid tube terminating at one end in asuction nozzle and being tapered at the .other end thereof and ada ted to 'be received by the said opening, t e ,tapered end of said tube being received-by the conical p seat; and means for automatically positioning said last vnamed suction nozzle 1n parallel relation with respect to the first named suction nozzle, said last named suction nozzle responding to a movement of said sup-- ports over the ioor surface.

In testimony whereof `I .hereto atlix my y signature'.-

RALPH L. LEE. 

